Africa Great Lakes Democracy Watch

Welcome toAfrica Great Lakes Democracy Watch Blog.Our objective is to promote the institutions of democracy,social justice,Human Rights,Peace, Freedom ofExpression, and Respect to humanity in Rwanda,Uganda,DR Congo, Burundi,Sudan, Tanzania, Kenya,Ethiopia, and Somalia. We strongly believe that Africa will develop if only our presidents stop being rulers of men and become leaders of citizens. We support Breaking the Silence Campaign for DR Congo since we believe the democracy in Rwanda means peace inDRC. Follow this link to learn more about the origin of the war in both Rwanda and DR Congo:http://www.rwandadocumentsproject.net/gsdl/cgi-bin/library

Friday, September 21, 2012

Johannesburg – Speaking
to Chief Mob of RNC Johannesburg
branch Mr Hesron Mukiza, for him
seeing members of political parties choosing to opt out, sees it as a
democratic thing to move on rather than dragging your feet trying to
save something that is not working.

Talking about his
role in the RNC as Joburg Chief of mobilization, he shared some of the
challenges he faced during the initial phase of RNC Africa Chapter. “The
challenges that we faced in the start, people were not prepared, most of them were skeptical.
Just the thought of hearing that RNC as a party for all ethnic groups, was
something that Rwandese didn't see coming. ” Said Mukiza.

“We are advocating
for unity. Where people (Hutu, Tutsi and Twas) share ideas, speak freely. Unlike in Rwanda where people are accused of saying what’s on their mind and later are accused of
Genocide Ideology”. Added Mukiza.

For him solidarity
is a way of life. As party of bringing together Rwandese living in exile, he
gave an example of how people continue to unite. “during the first court appearance
of Lt Gen Kayumaba Nyamwasa at the Westgate
Magistrate Court, in Johannesburg, South Africa
people came in numbers and showed their support”.

“As a way of mobilizing
people, we did a lot of work. People continue to show their support to our activities
as well as to our fellow comrade Kayumba Nyamwasa in his court case appearance.
This shows you how people no longer have issues with regards to ethnicity. People
are just tired of killing regimes”.

Asked how far RNC
has gone in mobilizing people. He said in Kinyarwanda “ijya kurisha ihera
murugo” meaning “you first start at you house, before going out“. “In the first year we made sure we mobilized people
around us, those living in South
Africa. I can only speak for my Branch. I think on a broader
scale, my superiors are the ones to give you a better picture”.

He warned those
that still have a question of whether RNC is a one man party. “Objectives and
Values of RNC are well defined/ known and they are readily available. RNC is
for you and me, we don’t like people imposing things on us. Members of the
branches are the ones to propose or give an idea to what is to be done by the
top leadership. That is why we spent time forming structures.”

When asked his
views on the resignation of Maitre Evod Uwizeyimana and Alain Patrick Ndengera from
RDI Rwanda Nziza, a political party led by Faustin Twagiramungu, he said “ to
resign in a political party shows that you are politically matured. You don’t
have to sit idle in things you don’t see advancing the cause. Also dragging
yourself from things that you see will not materialize, it is always better to
seek alternatives.”

“When you see that
can no longer fulfill your duties based on certain situations, you rather
quite. To me that is freedom of choice. So, Maitre Evode and his colleague, I think
they made the right choices.”

In concluding our conversation,
Mukiza said that “Rwandese hold the secretes
with in their hearts. Signs of change are seen every where. That time will come
when they will vote democratically their chosen leaders”.